The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and The Institute for Preventative Sports Medicine, over the past several years, have been in partnership in developing various recommendations to the public as it relates to winter related injuries. Some of the most popular winter sports leading to injuries include skiing, which will lead over eighty-three thousand individuals to seek medical treatment this coming year; hockey, over sixty-two thousand individuals will be injured; snowboarding, over thirty seven thousand individuals and sledding over twenty-five thousand individuals injured. The total number of people injured per year, secondary to winter sports, are over two hundred seventy thousand. These figures include only emergency room visits and do not include non- hospitalization physician visits. Therefore, these two hundred and seventy thousand individuals are just the tip of the injury iceberg. Total healthcare costs for these injuries, including medical, legal, and other expenses, will exceed two billion dollars this year alone. Below are the recommendations developed by The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in conjunction with The Institute for Preventative Sports Medicine to prevent winter sports injuries.

General - Recommendations for safe winter sports include: 1) Conditioning off-season. 2) Buying and maintaining well-fitted equipment. 3) Warming up before all activities. 4) Resting when fatigued because the vast majority of injuries are sustained when the individual has been participating in the activity for an extended period of time. 5) Abiding by all rules and markings whether they are on the slopes or the ice rink. 6) Making sure that all participants are adequately hydrated. We tend to think of dehydration in the summer months but dehydration can also occur in the winter months with strenuous activities.

Skiing - Recommendations that have been developed thru the Academy, as well as thru the Institute, include: 1) Skiers should buy boots and bindings that have been set, adjusted and maintained by recommendations by the American Society of Testing Materials. 2) Skiers should check the binding of each ski before skiing. The binding should be adjusted based on the skier’s height and weight. 3) At the start of each new ski day warm up activities and several slow runs should be accomplished before the more vigorous runs are attempted. 4) Skiers should stay at all times on marked trails. 5) Skiers should ski with partners and stay within sight of each other. 6) Skiers should rest when fatigued. 7) All skiers should wear helmets at all times. Sony Bono is a testament to the fact that no matter how advanced the skier, impact can occur with other individuals or with stationary objects such as trees or rocks, and a helmet can prevent a catastrophic head injury. 8) Carry a cell phone for emergency purposes.

Hockey - Recommendations developed thru the Academy and the Institute consist of wearing protective equipment such as: 1) Helmet and a full-face shield at all levels of play. 2) Shoulder pads. 3) Shin pads. 4) Elbow pads. 5) Hip pads. 6) Gloves. 7) Mouth guard. 8)Eyeglasses, if worn, are to be made of non-shattered glass. 9) No head checking at all levels of play.

Cross Country Skiing – The vast majority of injuries are due to overuse. Therefore, an adequate warm up and conditioning program is of paramount importance in preventing cross-country skiing injuries.

Sledding – The vast majority of sledding injuries are related to impact and the inadequate use of the sled itself. Recommendations include: 1) All participants must sit in a forward facing position steering with their feet or a rope tied to the steering handles of the sled. 2) No one should sled head first down a slope. 3) A helmet should be worn by all individuals sledding. 4) No one should sled on slopes that end in a street, parking lot, or body of water. 5) Do not slide on plastic sheets or other materials that can be pierced by a stick or a rock that can lead to significant injury.

Hydration: With all winter sports remember to push fluids before, during and after activities in order to avoid dehydration.